Cymbalta User Reviews & Ratings (Page 2)

• Col...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 14, 2024

For Chronic Pain "I have chronic pain and bad anxiety for many years and have been living untreated and struggling. In the last few months, I started taking pain pills. But then a few weeks ago, I met two totally different strangers who, within five minutes of each other, shared their experience with CYMBALTA - it was like a light bulb went on! I had two or three previous doctors recommend it in the past, so I felt it was a SIGN or a NUDGE to give this prescription medication a go. I’m currently on day five of 30 mg with some side effects such as mild nausea, mild headaches that come and go, and some insomnia. But because of the positive reviews on here, I have decided to push through the side effects and give Cymbalta a chance to CHANGE my life! I have decreased pain meds to 3 a day and feel encouraged that my anxiety will be greatly helped!"

• mk2...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 13, 2024

For Major Depressive Disorder "I started this medicine 5 months ago. Prior to my use of Cymbalta, I was taking 40mg daily of Celexa and interchanging lorazepam and buspirone for 3 years. Cymbalta (duloxetine) has CHANGED MY LIFE. I have struggled with major depressive disorder and anxiety symptoms from chronic OCD for many years, and this medicine has made me feel more alive than anything I have ever tried. I can wake up, I am capable of cognitive thought outside of sadness, and I am able to feel emotions and FINALLY have an orgasm. No medication is perfect, but I have finally felt free of the dullness and numbness that has consumed my life for so many years. Here is what you could expect (using prescription of 60 mg (2) 30 mg cap 2x a day): - light stomach irritation and sensitivity to eating - mild nausea and occasional headaches - more sweat - lowered appetite - real withdrawal! Follow a schedule! - insomnia - drink tea and take simple sleep aids!"

• Jan...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• May 21, 2024

For Fibromyalgia "I've been taking Cymbalta 30mg a day for 1 year. After 17 years of fibromyalgia and having explored every alternative therapy under the sun... most recently hyperbaric chamber use & infra-red light... I found myself back in a desperate place once again where any small effort to exercise resulted in a worsening of my condition. Walking any distance was challenging and I had pain all over my body - everything feeling stiff, clicking, cracking, and muscles generally fatigued. Mentally, I felt drained with the constant effort and anxiety of a worsening condition at age 52. Having taken antidepressants when diagnosed and found little effect (except help with sleep), I kept refusing the offer of Cymbalta. For a year now, I have had the energy I had when I was 30. It also seems like my body's soft tissue is improving. I can exercise, feel much more resilient, balanced, stable, and my anxiety is greatly improved. I have not tried to come off it at all. It has made a huge improvement to my life."

• Doc...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• May 16, 2024

For Depression "I have tried every antidepressant on the market over the years. This is the only one that has ever lifted me out of those dark places without so many side effects that were in many ways worse than the depression itself. Or, at least their side effects outweighed the benefits. Cymbalta has one really tough side effect for me. And, that is unexplained weight gain. I eat less, but still gain weight on Cymbalta. The weight gain was so bad that I stopped taking it, and the weight immediately started dropping again. Unfortunately, I lost my job and because of the despair and stress, I started back up on Cymbalta yesterday. I woke this morning and felt refreshed, even though I didn't get all that much sleep. Then, I remembered... Oh yeah! That was how I felt while taking Cymbalta. It really does work for my body and brain chemistry. I really didn't want to take it originally, because of all the negative reviews on social media, about trying to come off of it is SO hard, etc."

• Ano...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• May 15, 2024

For Major Depressive Disorder "I would give this a full 10/10. However, getting off this medicine is terrible and the withdrawal symptoms are worse than that of benzodiazepines. Antidepressants work and do promote neurogenesis, just you'd have to find the one that works for you."

• Lif...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 30, 2024

For Depression "I cannot rate this medication high enough for major depressive disorder, chronic pain, and CPTSD. It has completely turned my life around. I have gone from being completely bedridden 23.5/24 hours a day, severely depressed, and hiding from the world and life. I could not function, I could not think, do any housework, have any form of social life, sadly raise my three children, or be a wife."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• April 19, 2024

For Depression "It works/worked fairly well. I didn’t notice much until 90 mg though, so it took a long time. Definitely much better than I would be without it, but it feels like its effects are waning after about a year and a half, and I’m now at the maximum dose of 120 mg. I found venlafaxine more effective, but it unfortunately also stopped working for my depression after two years, though it was still effective for my other conditions. I do wish it helped more."

• Lwe...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 31, 2024

For Anxiety "It saved my life. It was the last thing I tried and it was different than SSRIs. I have no issues on it but it wiped away my daily anxiety and I feel like a person again. It took 2 weeks to kick in and one day I woke up without a panic attack and I’ve been able to change my life since. Try it if you’ve tried everything else."

• mit...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 21, 2024

For Depression "30mg for depression. It's the first week. I have been waking up at 3 am every day. I work. Then I take a nap later in the day. Sex drive feels higher, and finishing has been very explosive. I'm trying to conceive, and this was the only antidepressant that won't harm sperm and fertility. Anxiety is down. I walk into rooms and feel like I own the place, instead of before when I used to feel like everyone was looking at me and talking about me. Mood is 10 times better. I'm more affectionate and romantic with my wife."

• Mar...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• March 11, 2024

"I started this medication when I was going through a very challenging time. I was working many hours, my father was dying, and another family member was on watch. It was also during COVID. Not only did I have severe, recurrent migraines along with fibromyalgia, this drug significantly reduced my pain and took my migraines from 10 a month to four or five. It also helped me to feel calmer. The downside for me is I gained 25 lb due to the fact that it seems to remove impulse control when it comes to food and snacking. The excess weight is now starting to cause other health problems for me."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• March 11, 2024

For Depression "From my personal experience, probably one of the most horrific antidepressants I have ever been prescribed. I was continually nauseated, felt like vomiting, had breakthrough migraines, and constant dizziness. It took me three months to detox off of the medication slowly and properly, and I am still experiencing side effects today. I know this doesn't happen to everybody, but just know that this is a possibility and it could happen to you as well. I was on 60 mg and then moved to 90 mg, so when weaned off, the milligrams had to go in reverse. It was extremely harsh on my body with side effects."

• Jos...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 7, 2024

For Depression "I was put on duloxetine (Cymbalta) when I was an inpatient in a hospital. When I was younger, I had tried two SSRIs which were fluoxetine and sertraline. Both made me feel crazy. I couldn't sleep, I couldn't sit down, and the anxiety and panic I was experiencing were torturous. I started to experience pretty severe depression last year, and it got to the stage where I was hospitalized. After meeting with the psychiatrist a few times over the coming weeks, he tweaked a few of my other meds here and there but said he wanted to add in 60mg of duloxetine. I hadn't heard of the drug, so I asked, and he explained it's an SNRI antidepressant. I explained my previous experiences with fluoxetine and sertraline, but he was confident I could benefit from it. I was started on the 60mg a day, and I'm now around the 12-week mark, and I can 100% say my life has changed for the better. No anxiety, no depression. Only side effect I got was increased sweating. I'll take that over what I was going through for years."

• Lyn...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• February 29, 2024

For Major Depressive Disorder "Cymbalta was introduced to me about 20 years ago for major anxiety & depression. I take a 60mg tablet daily in the morning with my blood pressure meds. I believe this has been a miracle drug for me as I now lead a fun & fulfilling life. I suffer with a lot of pain from osteoarthritis, but I believe this medication has helped with this pain, anxiety, and my depression. It is used more in America, but Australia should know about this more. I highly regard this to be a non mind-altering drug, but it helps me manage my anxiety, bipolar, and depression. I have a healthy lifestyle and a good mindset also. I will be on this drug for life. Hope this helps."

• for...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• February 15, 2024

For Anxiety "I read reviews for years and was always too afraid to try an SSRI or SNRI. I tried several SSRIs that only increased my anxiety. I got the courage to try Cymbalta after talking to dozens of people and reading the reviews on this site. The reviews often said that they wanted to give others hope since it worked for them. When something works for you, it is literally the difference between life and darkness. Please don't be afraid to try. I am grateful to all the people who developed these medications and for everyone who helps others with anxiety."

• Joh...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• February 4, 2024

For Chronic Pain "I have been on Cymbalta (60 mg/d, ER) since late 2009. My Dr. prescribed it for pain from stenosis and bone spurs in my cervical vertebrae. It took a few weeks to work. When it did, my neck pain went down so much that I completely forgot about my neck. It continues to work now even after 14+ years. I am writing this review because I am away from my home for 3 days and forgot to pack my Cymbalta. It is Sunday, and I haven’t taken Cymbalta for three days. My neck pain came back this morning like the pre-Cymbalta days. Is this a coincidence? Perhaps, but I was virtually pain-free for over 14 years until I missed three doses in a row. I will be back at home tonight and will take my Cymbalta the very minute I walk in the door. I recommend Cymbalta wholeheartedly."

• Kat...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• February 1, 2024

For Depression "I was on Cymbalta for over 10 years at 60mg. I tried to increase the dose twice, but I became more depressed and unstable. For the last couple of years on it, I got very depressed again. Functioning, but barely. I decided to come off of it and tapered to 0 in 10 days. The withdrawals were unpleasant but not terrible. Insomnia and brain zaps resolved in about a week. I've also been through alcohol, benzo, and opioid withdrawal, so it's possible I've just been through way worse and Cymbalta didn't compare. After coming off the Cymbalta, my anxiety has skyrocketed. So it seems it was doing something for my anxiety. My depression has actually improved slightly since coming off of it, though I'm still very depressed. But I can feel happiness here and there; for a while on Cymbalta, I had complete anhedonia. So overall, it was okay. It helped, then it stopped working, but I did get some benefit from it. Side effects were minimal, just got headaches a lot. If you're considering it, it's worth a try."

• DeA...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 13, 2024

For Chronic Pain "I was put on Cymbalta as an anti-depressant years ago. At day three, I knew I had to stop taking it. When the doctor asked how it made me feel, I was completely unable to say what it was except that if I did not stop taking it, I would die. And I was not suicidal. Also, I was told it would take several weeks to kick in, and it was three days. It could just be my physiology, but I am sensitive to all drugs. Half dose for headache medications, for example."

• CNP...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• January 10, 2024

For Chronic Pain "Worked great for me within one to two weeks. Started with 30mg with some relief in a week. Dose increased to 60mg with total generalized pain and stiffness relief within the following week. No side effects. Symptoms returned when I stopped after 2-3 couple of months and were relieved when I restarted. This was about 5 years ago and still works with no side effects. FYI: I'm a 77 yr old female. Sources of generalized pain and stiffness undetermined after complete medical assessment by Rheumatologist."

• Nc2...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• January 8, 2024

For Depression "It was a godsend for suicidal thoughts. I was suicidal for 14 years, tried all sorts of drugs. This one actually got me happy again. Unfortunately, it also made me asexual. I’m trying to figure out what to do about that."

• Wie...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• December 10, 2023

For Depression "I've been taking Cymbalta for more than 10 years. Before I have tried almost all antidepressants, and now I'm on Brintellix...still too early to judge. But my message is for those who are trying to reduce or stop Cymbalta. In Italy, the minimum dose is 30mg. So after many failures, including months causing strong brain zaps, I got my pharmacy to prepare 20mg doses. I would take 30mg one day, then 20mg the next day, and so on for a month. Then, I would take 20mg every day, and then one day 20mg and the next day none, and so on. Please, if you are trying, don't give up. You need to reduce slowly, and it will take a few months. Now, I'm 58 years old and on 5mg of Brintellix...still fighting. One last thing, try to keep any antidepressant dose at a minimum if you can, and stick to one for a while. It takes time for your body to adjust. Happy Christmas!"

• Ano...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• December 7, 2023

For Osteoarthritis "My doctor prescribed Cymbalta for anxiety. It was very hard in the beginning. Nausea, tiredness, insomnia... I was on 30 mg for 2 weeks and still had lots of side effects. She added amitriptyline (low dose) to my medications in the evening. I slept like a baby! After a couple more weeks, my anxiety was gone and bonus my osteoarthritis knees feel so much better. They still hurt when I overdo it but I don't think about the pain as much as I used to. Best I've felt in a decade!"

• rat...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 1, 2023

For Major Depressive Disorder "30mg / 3-4 months. I was on Lexapro before I started Cymbalta. I switched to Cymbalta because I was experiencing anger and emotional blunting. Starting Cymbalta, I was able to finally 'feel' my emotions. I could sad cry, happy cry, and I was able to be more empathetic and patient. But here's why I got off Cymbalta. I still had those moments of suicidal thoughts, the ones where your psychiatrist will cock a brow. They weren't horrible or consistent and these thoughts were short-lived. I also am in therapy. My sex drive was nearly non-existent. I used to use Maca Root supplements when on Lexapro, and that would work to get me going. Even on Maca, it was nearly IMPOSSIBLE to have the drive. I even felt disgusted with the thought of sex. Cymbalta withdrawal was the ABSOLUTE worst. I never felt so weak, clammy, nauseous, and sick. However, the withdrawal symptoms only lasted about 2-3 days. I did not experience any hypomania coming off Cymbalta like I did with Lexapro. Also, dry mouth was so bad."

• Flo...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• November 26, 2023

For Osteoarthritis "My pain from osteoarthritis was not being controlled, and I had really reached a point of non-functional desperation. My nurse practitioner put me on Cymbalta. It is strong, and it took a few weeks for my body to adjust. I am so glad I did. I now lead a normal life. Yes, I have some pain, but I can handle it again. Cymbalta, I am sure, strengthens me emotionally too. I no longer feel life is too hard to deal with because the pain and fatigue is too much. I feel resolute and able to meet challenges. So I am grateful, and I would recommend at least giving it a try if you are considering it."

• MEW...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 25, 2023

For Depression "Have been suffering from chronic lower back pain, torn cartilage in kneecaps, hip bursitis, and pain after 3 shoulder surgeries. Just kind of lost hope in feeling better. Lost interest in everything. Asked doctor for Wellbutrin, but because of the pain, he thought Cymbalta was a better fit. I was worried about gaining weight. Started 3 weeks ago on 20mg. I have no pain in my back, the swelling I've had for 5 years in my legs is gone, I’ve slept a full 8 hours every night. I notice a change in my attitude, mood, activity level. In just 3 weeks, I’ve lost 9 pounds, and feel like my old self. Life-changing!"

• Anonymous
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• November 19, 2023

For Depression "Completely changed my life for the better. I'm no longer on it and haven't needed it since"